The Role of Science Education in a Changing World

Aim and Description

The purpose of the workshop is to examine how new global realities create socially, linguistically and culturally diverse societies, and how science education can address issues related to social change and social justice.

The theoretical assumption that this workshop is framed within is that a democratic future depends on 
whether all people are offered exciting opportunities to engage with science and become active consumers of scientific information. Researchers from the field of science education which moves across the persistent divide between natural sciences and social sciences will work together to share knowledge and experiences and offer recommendations for policy, teacher practice, and research around four interconnected themes of research:

a)      The role of science education and teacher preparation in society

b)      Nature of science and social justice

c)       Identity, equity, and gender

d)      Scientific practices and argumentation

The specific objectives of the workshop are:

a)      To rethink the fundamental principles that frame approaches to science education in the context of globalization and current global challenges;

b)      To re-envision science teacher preparation in light of the need to create socially, linguistically and culturally diverse societies;

c)       To develop contemporary theoretical frameworks for framing research in science education that promotes social justice;

d)      To develop a report for science education reform with specific guidelines for empirical research programs.

Outcomes

The outcomes of the workshop include the development of an evidence-based report with policy, teaching, and research recommendations with the title: Science Education in a Changing World. The report will provide guidelines for science education reform on the following levels: policy, teacher preparation, curriculum development, and science teaching. These levels will be addressed through the following four interconnected pillars of research in the field of science education: a) The role of science education and teacher preparation in society; b) Nature of science and social justice; c) Identity, equity, and gender; and, d) Scientific practices and argumentation.

These four themes are used as tools to organize the lectures throughout the workshop and as central themes of the discussion in four small working groups. Following the meeting, the working groups of researchers will continue working on this for two months for the purpose of finalizing and disseminating the report.